Arshia Mahmoodi's RO54: A Masterpiece of Modern Architecture

Automotive Aesthetics Meet Residential Design in this Award-Winning Single-Family House

Arshia Mahmoodi drew inspiration from streamline automotive aesthetics for the design of RO54. The house's unique properties include an intelligible shell, CNC milled from a digital design, and a split-level architecture that allows sunlight to penetrate to the deepest level. A dynamic 16 ft cantilever of the second floor creates an entrance canopy and shaded prelude, while fluidity in circulation and open floor plans allow for rearrangement of furniture and interior decoration. The exterior form and interior hulk correlate, and a museum-quality basement grand room completes the design.

The design process involved several challenges, primarily minimizing the physical and psychological distances between different chambers in a residential assemblage. Mahmoodi's solution was to dissolve unnecessary divisions, creating direct visual connections from one space to most other spaces in the house. This approach shortened the time of accessing information in other parts of the house, reducing its psychological distances.

The RO54 is more than just a house; it's an interactive experience. The design encourages an inclusive engagement with its surrounding space through large open spaces and ideals of transparency. The architecture demands a change of attitude from its occupants towards the community, promoting openness and integration.

Located in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, the project took five years to complete, from July 2017 to June 2022. The house gently lands a dynamic building on top of a buried podium that replicates the original natural topography, following this with staggered floor plates over a central void space. The design was informed by automotive performance design with concealed technologies that amplify the sensory performance of the architecture.

RO54 is a testament to Arshia Mahmoodi's innovative approach to residential design, combining form and function in a unique and engaging way. The house's design, inspired by automotive aesthetics, offers a new perspective on residential architecture, proving that a home can be more than just a place to live – it can be a sensory experience.